Unfinished business.
That’s the feeling you get from television writer Greg Weisman when he starts talking about Young Justice, the Cartoon Network show he wrote and produced. Despite critical acclaim, the show about DC Comics’ most famous sidekicks was abruptly canceled after two seasons. Still, he has reason for hope.
“Warner and Netflix are talking about bringing it back for a third season,” Weisman said during an interview at Sacramento’s Wizard World Comic Book Convention.
The cancellation of Young Justice had little to do with the show’s popularity on TV and everything to do with its popularity in toy stores. Mattel helped fund the show, but when Robin, Aqualad, Super Boy and the rest of the YJ team weren’t selling, Mattel canceled the toys and pulled the funding.
“People have said, ‘why don’t you start a petition?’ Petitions are nice, but those are for the fans.” Weisman says the answer to bring Young Justice back is simple: watch it… a lot. “Binge watching is the best way to bring it back.” He even encourages binge watching on twitter with the hashtag #KeepBingingYJ.
Season two of YJ was added to Netflix last year. Weisman says the video streaming giant doesn’t share exact figures but says the show is still popular with fans and Warner Bros. as well.
“Everyone at Warner would love to bring Young Justice back, but they have to find a way to make it profitable.” Weisman points out that working out a deal with Netflix would help the show avoid its past reliance on toy sales.
So what would season 3 of Young Justice look like? Weisman isn’t giving up any secrets, but did say he would bring in some new characters and the timeline would skip forward much like season two did.
Weisman is credited with co-creating of the Disney cartoon Gargoyles and has written, produced and overseen several other successful cartons like Star Wars Rebels and The Spectacular Spider-Man. He is currently a writer for the Nickelodeon show Shimmer and Shine, continues to write comic books and has published two novels as part of his Rain of Ghosts series.
“I’d quit for Young Justice. I wouldn’t just quit for anything, but I’d quit for Young Justice.”
Unfinished business indeed.
